Duke Ellington Research Papers

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Duke Ellington and The 1920’s The most important part of the roaring 20’s would have to be the “cultural Civil War,” from the conflicting religions, Harlem renaissance, Women's rights, “the new woman,” versus the old fashioned housewife, all played a key role in the roaring twenties. At the height of the Harlem Renaissance in the late 1920s, Duke Ellington was a pioneer of a new form of jazz music that can be heard in the song “Black and Tan Fantasy.”

The 1920’s were full of cultural and economic change as well as increased self expression and nightlife along with dance and the birth of jazz music.
“The nation’s total wealth more than doubled between 1920 and 1929, and this economic growth swept many Americans into an affluent but unfamiliar …show more content…

“A major figure in the history of jazz music, his career spanned more than half a century, during which time he composed thousands of songs for the stage, screen and contemporary songbook. He created one of the most distinctive ensemble sounds in Western music and continued to play what he called "American Music" until shortly before his death in 1974.”(Biography.com). Duke ellington was born in , Washington, D.C on April 29, 1899 to his two talented, musical parents where they lived in a middle-class neighborhood of Washington D.C. Being raised in a musical family Duke ellington began playing piano and composing music. At the young age of 19, Ellington wedded Edna Thompson.Edna and Duke had been together since high school at Armstrong Technical High School. Pretty soon after their marriage, they brought their first, and only child, Mercer Kennedy Ellington into the world. After making a name for himself playing piano in washington D.C. he moved his family to New York to pursuit music. Ellington grew not only as a musician and band leader of 50 years, but he had the opportunity to collaborate and compose music with some of the all time greats. This included, John Coltrane, Coleman Hawkins and many more. Ellington contracted pneumonia, he latter passed on May 24, 1974, in New york, New